What is your greatest fear?
Someone once told me that their greatest fear was to live a life without purpose—to live this short time we have on earth without making a difference, without realising our full potential; our God-given gifts. Living in this world could mean some of us don’t live to realise our true gift within us. This sometimes may be due to unforeseen circumstances. Sometimes it could be the demand of life leading us to do things that don’t really fulfill our purpose in life. And most of the time, we fail to understand and explore our giftedness.
For we are created by God in His image (Genesis 1:27). And because we are created in His likeness, we each carry a greater worth within us. We each have been uniquely gifted to make an impact in someone else’s life and make a contribution to our community and to the world. And all this is done for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)
What has God placed in your heart? Do you feel so drawn to a passion that you would stay up all day and night to complete it? What excites you the most? Do you feel the need to do the things that bring you the most joy?
I am very passionate about people. The thought of encouraging and lifting people brings the most joy to my heart. However, I never really realised this passion in me until I began to encounter God in my life. The more I drew closer to God, the closer I was to understanding the passion and the gifts He placed in me.
Although God may seem quiet once He has place a passion or purpose in you, He is actually very present behind the scene making a path for it to follow through.
In your own quest to live out your passion, here are three practices the Bible gives that are helpful:
Discipline
If we look at the story of Moses in the Book of Exodus, we look at a man who was born an Israelite but raised as an Egyptian. God had a purpose for him to save His people. But Moses never knew this was his calling until that faithful day when he struck down an Egyptian soldier who was beating a Hebrew; one of his own (Exodus 211-12). He knew his people needed a leader, someone who would stand up for them and lead them to freedom. This very action he committed led to his death warrant, which meant Moses had to flee from Egypt, away from his people and away from his passion.
Sometimes in life, we may feel we are not where we want to be and our gifts or talents are not being used to their full potential. Let’s be reminded to always stay disciplined in whatever God has placed as a passion in our hearts. Just like Moses, God’s purpose for him to lead his people out of slavery came many years after the passion had been ignited inside of him. So be encouraged not to lose your focus. Cultivate habits and actions during the waiting period that can help in preparing you to use your gift to its full potential when it is time.
Courage
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear, for the Lord goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” – Deuteronomy 31:6
When we have a vision in our hearts to do something we are very passionate about, there is usually a risk or a setback involved in order for the vision to be realised. What usually comes to replace this vision is fear. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus spoke about The Parable of the Talents. Here we see a master giving talents to three of his servants. Two of which made a greater return of the talents they received and the other one who hid the talent he was given in fear. His master wasn’t pleased and rebuked him for his action.
Do you feel that this is speaking to you?
Are we afraid to step out of our comfort zone and into the unknown? Are we holding back our passion and gifts God has placed in our hands? God wants us to live out our passion. He wants us to make an impact on the world with our gifts. If we choose to hold back, God’s plan will be carried out regardless. However, what will happen is that we would have missed the chance in experiencing true joy in being part of His plan.
Let’s be encouraged to take action in whatever God has placed in our hearts. This is what He requires of us. So be strong and be of good courage. Take that step forward.
Trust in God
“Trust and be confident in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” – Proverbs 3:5
When God spoke of His plans and purpose for Moses to fulfill; He spoke to him saying ‘I am who I am’, (Exodus 3:14) instructing Moses to reveal this to the people of Israel. Yet, in being obedient and sharing with them the promises God had set for the people of Israel (Exodus 3:17), Moses wasn’t very fluent in His words and lacked in confidence that he was the right man for the job. But without trusting in The Lord, He would not have been able to fulfill the purpose God set before him. At every point from then on Moses chose to trust God over his own understanding.
Trusting in God is something that we will have to do when living out our passion.
Let’s be encouraged today to trust in The Lord with our hearts, even in the midst of unknown circumstances. We may not understand how we are able to get to where we want to be, but when we discipline ourselves, are courageous and trust God wholeheartedly, we will be led where God wants us to be.
Personal Question:
What has God placed in your heart that He wants to fulfill in your life?
Where are you placed right now that you can begin to exercise your God-given Gifts?
Prayer
God, help us to hold on to the passion You have placed in our hearts. Help us to be reminded of the greater purpose You have set to us through our passions. Let our gifts reveal to the world who You are and bring glory to Your name. Amen.
Proclamation
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in me will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, developing and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in me. (Philippians 1:6).
